Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 85.djvu/253

 85 STAT. ]

PUBLIC LAW 92-75-AUG. 10, 1971

223

(5) designates the State authority or agency which will administer the boating safety program and the allocated Federal funds; and (6) provides that the designated State authority or agency will submit reports in the form prescribed by the Secretary. (b) The requirements of subparagraph (a)(2) of this section shall be liberally construed to permit acceptance where the general intent and purpose of such requirements are met and nothing contained therein is in any way intended to discourage a State program which is more extensive or comprehensive than suggested herein, particularly with the regard to safety patrol and enforcement activity commensurate with the amount and type of boating activity within the State, and with regard to public boat safety education, and experimental programs which could enhance boating safety. ALLOCATION OF FEDERAL FUNDS

SEC. 27. (a) The Secretary shall allocate the amounts appropriated to the several States as soon as practicable after July 1 of each fiscal year for which the funds are appropriated. (b) I n order to encourage and assist the States in the development of boating safety programs during the first three fiscal yeare for which funds are available under this Act, the funds shall be allocated among applying States having a boating safety program, or which indicate to the Secretary their intention to establish boating safety programs in accordance with section 25 of this Act. One-half of the funds shall be allocated equally among the applying States. The other half shall be allocated to each applying State in the same ratio as the number of vessels propelled by machinery numbered in that State bears to the number of such vessels numbered in all applying States. (c) I n fiscal years after the third fiscal year for which funds are available under this Act the moneys appropriated shall he. allocated among applying States. Of the total available funds one-third shall be allocated each year equally among applying States. One-third shall be allocated so that the amount each year to each applying eligible State will be in the same ratio as the number of vessels numbered in that State, under a numbering system approved under this Act, bears to the number of such vessels numbered in all applying eligible States. The remaining one-third shall lye allocated so that the amount each year to each applying eligible State shall be in the same ratio as the State funds expended or obligated for the State boating safety program during the previous fiscal year by a State bears to the total State funds expended or obligated for that fiscal year by all the applying eligible States. (d) The Secretary may allocate not more than 5 per centum of funds appropriated in any fiscal year for national boating safety activities of one or more national nonprofit-public service organizations. ALLOCATION L I M I T A T I O N S; UNOBLIGATED OR UNALLOCATED F U N D S

SEC. 28. (a) Notwithstanding the allocation ratios prescribed in section 27 of this Act, the Federal share of the total annual cost of a State's boating safety program may not exceed 75 per centum in fiscal year 1972, 66% per centum in fiscal year 1973, 50 per centum in fiscal year 1974, 40 per centum in fiscal year 1975, and SSy^ per centum in fiscal year 1976. No State may receive more than 5 per centum of the Federal funds appropriated or available for allocation in any fiscal year.

Limitation,

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